Brady, Moss Push Patriots Past Dolphins

Posted by Adam Hart November 8, 2009 at 8:36 pm

That old connection of which Patriots fans grew so fond in 2007 returned on Sunday to propel New England to a 27-17 win over the Miami Dolphins. Read more

Sneaky Brady Eases Red Zone Woes

Posted by Adam Hart October 4, 2009 at 7:30 pm

All along, the jumper cables for New England’s Red Zone offense was a QB sneak. How could we have been so blind? Read more

Brady: Zero TDs Is ‘Unacceptable’

Posted by Adam Hart September 20, 2009 at 7:07 pm

The New England Patriots could not rekindle the magic of its Monday night come-from-behind victory over the Buffalo Bills, losing 16-9 to the New York Jets on Sunday. Read more

Down 11, Brady Leads Comeback

Posted by Adam Hart September 15, 2009 at 12:16 pm

Trailing 24-13 with 5:32 left in the season opener, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady showed little concern for defeat. At the end of those 5:32 minutes, New England had a 25-24 victory in hand. Read more

A Burgess Believer

Posted by Randolph Charlotin August 7, 2009 at 3:20 am

OK, now I’m sold.

 

Since the end of the regular season I’ve been waiting for the Patriots to get a rush linebacker I could believe in. Whether it was a rookie day one draft pick, a free agent, or by trade, I wanted someone that could get to the quarterback better than Mike Vrabel did in 2008. His trade to Kansas City made the need urgent.

 

I had been hoping, praying, begging, pleading, making blood sacrifices, and negotiating with the Devil (my soul for eternity was asking too much) that sometime, somehow, a DE/OLB would join the Patriots and bring teeth to a pass rush that had just 31 sacks last season.

 

By finally completing a trade they’ve discussed with Oakland since the NFL Draft for DE Derrick Burgess, I finally believe the Patriots are a Super Bowl-caliber team.

 

This was supposed to be about my night at the training camp practice inside Gillette Stadium. A synopsis: players ran, caught, blocked, and did other football things, the end.

 

The Burgess trade made a pony show training camp practice practically insignificant.

 

A quick look at Burgess and his career might not generate much of a reaction. In six seasons (one season lasted on game, so I’m not counting it against him) Derrick had two double-digit sack seasons, both with the Raiders (16 in 2005 and 11 in 2006). The other four years combined he averaged just five sacks.

 

Overall, in 84 games, the soon to be 31-year-old Burgess has 47 sacks, a little better than one every two games. Stretch that average through 16 games, and that’s just about nine sacks.

 

The beauty of Burgess coming to New England is he doesn’t have to be outstanding. If he produces at his career average, that’s all the Patriots need from him.

 

For the sake of the argument, let’s say the Patriots pass rush this year matches 2008’s production of 31 sacks without Derrick’s contribution. As for Burgess, he bags the QB nine times. Add those two numbers together and you get 40 sacks, a respectable pass rush total.

 

Of the top five defenses in the league last year, four of them were in the top 10 in sacks. Nine of the top 10 sacking teams were in the playoffs. To be in the top 10 in sacks last year, all it took was 35 sacks.

 

Are sacks overrated? Probably. With Atlanta, Baltimore, and Arizona in the playoffs while being out of the top ten in sacks, a great point is made. But Arizona played in the NFC West (an easy as cake division – the Cardinals went 6-0 against a trio of teams with a combined record of 13-35), while Atlanta and Baltimore have productive pass rushers (Falcons’ John Abraham with 16.5 and Ravens’ Terrell Suggs with eight).

 

The sack total isn’t as important as the pressures it generates. As long as the opposing quarterback doesn’t feel comfortable, the pass rush is doing its job. With a consistent pass rush, quarterbacks won’t carve the secondary for 27 touchdowns, second most allowed in 2008.

 

As much as I want the holdovers to succeed, none has proven to be capable of getting to the quarterback quickly. Not Pierre Woods or Shawn Crable. Burgess has done it before and done so at a decent rate. Head coach Bill Belichick and the coaching staff often gets the most out of their players.

 

If Burgess can be half of what Randy Moss became after being traded from Oakland to New England, the Patriots got a heck of a player and another steal of a disgruntled Raider.

 

Burgess was holding out from Oakland’s training camp, hoping to get traded to a contender. He got his wish. I dearly wanted a pass rusher I could believe in. I got my wish. Now I can have championship dreams. Hopefully Burgess is having the same dreams.

 

Questions? Comments? send to talktome@randolphc.com

www.randolphc.com

Derrick Burgess Not a Big Deal

Posted by Randolph Charlotin May 20, 2009 at 11:39 pm

Last week I wrote a column after DE Jason Taylor signed with the Miami Dolphins. My take was after losing out on Taylor, the Patriots lost their chance of finding a competent veteran replacement for LB Mike Vrabel.

Just today I read in The Boston Herald that New England was discussing a trade with the Oakland Raiders for DE Derrick Burgess. Apparently these talks have been going on since around draft time. Oakland’s asking price is a second or third round pick for the veteran entering his eighth year.

Wait a moment…it’s coming…ah…Ah…AH…

…Uhhhhhhhhh…nothing. Nope, I don’t get a feeling of excitement for this potential trade.

It’s not that I’m unfamiliar with Burgess. I remember he started with the Philadelphia Eagles and signed with the Raiders as a free agent. Burgess had his best two years upon arrival in Oakland, with 27 sacks over two years and two Pro Bowl births.

Since then his production dropped to eight sacks in 2007 and just 3.5 last year. Injuries played a part in his reduced production.

Part of the appeal of Burgess is he’s in the final year of a five-year contract that pays him $2 million in 2009. If this trade happens, hopefully $2 million doesn’t buy just 3.5 sacks.

Some of the thinking behind this possible trade is Burgess could cash in on one final big contract as a free agent in 2010 if he has a highly productive season. Burgess will be 31 by the start of the ’09 season and he realizes this is his last chance to get paid. Motivation won’t be a problem.

Yes, Burgess has the potential to be a very good pass rusher. He proved it in the past. He also seems capable of making the transition from defensive end to linebacker as he played a hybrid role for the Raiders in the past. But, at 30, I wonder if his best years are far behind him.

It would be one thing if he had a long period of high production over his seven-year career. But a three-year 35-sack period bracketed by 12 sacks in his other three years (one season Burgess played one game so I’m not counting it against him) doesn’t make me a believer in Burgess.

Some will draw comparisons between Burgess’ situation with the trades for RB Corey Dillon and WR Randy Moss: players hungry to escape losing environments and play inspired ball now that they are in winning situations and games have meaning.

That’s stretching it. There’s a huge difference between Burgess and Dillon/Moss. Derrick doesn’t have nearly the production that Dillon and Moss had before arriving in Foxborough.

Dillon had six 1,100-plus seasons and three Pro Bowl selections in Cincinnati before the Pats traded for him. Moss was a five-time Pro Bowler with three All-Pro selections as he averaged more than 1,200 yards in his first six seasons with Minnesota. With that kind of history, it was easy for me to believe that they could return to form with the Patriots.

What’s the Burgess standard? Is he the man that exploded in his first three seasons with the Raiders? Or are expectations more in line with Derrick’s career average of about 7.5 sacks per season?

7.5 sacks would be a good year. It would be an upgrade over Vrable, but it’s not the kind of production that makes me want the Pats to get the deal done. Burgess would be an upgrade over the collection of unknowns, but his possible acquisition isn’t a move that excites me.

For more by Randolph Charlotin, check out his blog at www.RandolphC.com.

Things I Like

Posted by Adam Hart May 9, 2009 at 4:17 pm

I’ve been in a bad mood since Friday night, when the MBTA Green Line train crash robbed me of watching the Bruins and Celtics lose in horrific fashion. This should cheer me up. Read more

White A Versatile Fit For Pats

Posted by Adam Hart April 17, 2009 at 8:59 am

With Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Joey Galloway serving as targets for Tom Brady, it would appear that the Patriots have little immediate need at the receiver position. But the contracts of these players do not run forever. Mike Giardi brings in Mike Reiss of The Boston Globe to talk Pat White and more. Read more

A Season To Remember

Posted by Adam Hart December 29, 2008 at 1:19 am

A devastating injury in Week 1 of the NFL season — every football fan in New England would have told you that the Patriots stood no chance of making the playoffs. But did anyone listen? No. Read more

Running Blog: Pats v Black Hole

Posted by Adam Hart December 14, 2008 at 4:55 pm

Hopefully this makes up for last week’s absence. With a fully healed foot, we can commence running. Immediately. Read more

Page 1 of 212»